Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Doc Oakroot on May 4, 2009 at 3:04am

Any diameter nail that's long enough to reach across your fretboard will be higher than fretwire. So, probably, the smallest diameter you can find. Unless you want to be able to stretch the string by just pushing harder - then use a thicker nail.

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Permalink Reply by Ben on May 4, 2009 at 3:09am

I've used size 16 Finishing Brads. I'm not looking at the package right now but I think I used 1 1/2 inch ones. I didn't cut for my first one. I penciled the lines, put a line of super glue down and set the brad up. Then, after it dried, I came back and put a line of super glue on each side of the fret. It has been extremely stable and all of the frets speak wonderfully. I hope this helps.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on May 4, 2009 at 3:41am

I just looked in the garage, and the smallest I have is some #8s, so that would be kind of big I think. Off to Home Depot I go...

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Permalink Reply by Brian Parks on May 4, 2009 at 6:16am

I bought a little needle file that is not much bigger in diameter than the finishing nail. I make a small cut on the fret line with a hack saw or coping saw, then put that file on the cut and evenly file just a touch.. this gives a nice curved notch to seat the nail into... I used super glue to attach..

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Permalink Reply by Slug on June 15, 2009 at 11:44pm

Ben said:

I've used size 16 Finishing Brads. I'm not looking at the package right now but I think I used 1 1/2 inch ones. I didn't cut for my first one. I penciled the lines, put a line of super glue down and set the brad up. Then, after it dried, I came back and put a line of super glue on each side of the fret. It has been extremely stable and all of the frets speak wonderfully. I hope this helps.

That sounds awesome man, but help me here, what is a brad?

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Permalink Reply by Ben on June 16, 2009 at 1:50am

A brad is a finishing nail but with a head that is just slightly bigger than the shaft rather than a wide, flat space to hammer. It doesn't really make a difference which you use if you plan to cut the head off. As an update to this thread: I've finished my 2nd guitar and this time I cut the heads off of the brads and hand filed all of the rough edges. I also used a Mitre Box and a fine toothed saw to cut very shallow lines to lay the frets into. This time around I've actually had some issues with a few frets popping out (mostly during filing). I think part of it was that I was using extremely cheap superglue (It glued fingers just fine though!) I just reseat them and use better glue and they're fine.

Slug said:

Ben said:

I've used size 16 Finishing Brads. I'm not looking at the package right now but I think I used 1 1/2 inch ones. I didn't cut for my first one. I penciled the lines, put a line of super glue down and set the brad up. Then, after it dried, I came back and put a line of super glue on each side of the fret. It has been extremely stable and all of the frets speak wonderfully. I hope this helps.

That sounds awesome man, but help me here, what is a brad?

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Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on June 16, 2009 at 4:28am

"Brads" are just another name for wire nails. I've been using a slightly different material, I found 1/16" brass tubing at a craft store that has a large model-airplane section.
Stuff is only two bucks for enough to do any guitar. Comes in 12" sections; easy to cut with a Dremel cut-off wheel.

I didn't have any luck using Super Glue to attach frets; they just popped off after a while. I also tried a slow-curing epoxy from the local hardware store, but it didn't hold either.

I finally settled on the old reliable "J-B Weld" epoxy. It's designed to adhere to metal.

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on June 16, 2009 at 8:27am

I use 3/32" cotter pins, in either brass or zinc coated steel (stainless is too hard to cut). I glue them into a slot cut with a miter saw. They have a flat bottom, so nestle right down into the cut.

I'll try the JB Weld. I use crazy glue, and they do pop off from time to time.

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